Caelyn Wulflied
"I wish I knew who I was, like you do. Take away my name, the advantage of my lineage, my blood and my house badge, and who am I?" - Wulf Yr. 6, Room of Requirement. Introductory Notes * Wulf is the quintessential Machiavellian prince. He's that calm, controlled, confident, good looking, rich guy everyone wants to be. He can be charming, he can be cruel, he can be kind; what he is depends on the what is needed, and on the person he interacts with. He's the guy who knows all about you, but whom you know nothing about. The guy who makes meticulous plans and who has brilliant ideas, but keeps them to himself and executes them in silence. Wulf is the collector of secrets, the solver of puzzles. He can, has, and will ferret out the truth and hold it up to look at under a microscope. He doesn't fight for justice, doesn't hold for idealism - but he'll protect the innocent and pick up the broken.. If it serves his purposes to do so. Unless you happen to be one of the few who have won his loyalties, anyway. Family History ((The below information is well known among pureblood aristocracy, and is noted in some wizard genealogy texts. You may meta-game this if your character has a reason to know it.)) The Wulflieds are an affluent, unbroken line of German-English purebloods. Having produced successful, talented witches and wizards through out the line, they are as protective of their blood purity as every other pureblood house. Unfortunately, all that selective breeding has narrowed the line down to a single family branch: Cicilia Volpurgis, Richard Wulflied and their only child - Caelyn Wulflied. Cicilia Volpurgis is the only child of the ancient Volpurgis family, married by arrangement to her husband, Richard Wulflied, who was himself an only child. Caelyn's extended family includes only his grandmother - Lisse - on his father's side, who is at present the matriarch of the family. The Wulflieds are an influential family well known in Germany and Russia, with ties to the governing bodies and private sectors of the wizarding world. They are a predominantly Dark aligned family, who values strength, honor, integrity and cunning above all else. They raise their children via strict tutelage and guidance from the time they are born, forming them into specific patterns of behaviour and comportment, as well as molding them magically, with specifically designed social "dances" - challenges and interactions designed to teach their children the art of social grace and manipulation, with the result that the Wulflieds are known for being exceedingly dangerous and accomplished at diplomatic affairs, gathering information and manipulating social scenarios. They breed their children to be in complete control of any social situation as well as themselves and their own emotions and minds, with strict and intense mental and emotional conditioning practices. If the child fails, they are humiliated in some fashion, to teach them not to fail again, often in very harsh and by most standards traumatic ways. Because of this particular practice of raising children, they have, over the years, developed a predisposition for the talents of Occlumency and Legilimency, having produced some powerful witches and wizards with the ability over the generations. This form of mental conditioning from a young age could be seen as the formation of a mind ready to learn the mental arts, since many of the practices innately condition the child's control over themselves in a similar fashion to one who is learning the art of occlumency and legilimency. The Volpurgis family is an affluent, old pureblood family - french, like the Wulflieds, though not quite as young. Their influence is mainly in the public sphere, and more relative to France than outside the country. The women of the Volpurgis's line are known for their vicious protective streak, grace, and magical talent. Though the Volpurgis's aren't notorious for any specific talent or ability, they are well known for a range of skills and talents, usually producing exceptional witches and wizards in whatever field they choose to follow. The Volpurgis's are highly competitive and often produce offspring that form strong rivalries in their youth - unlike the Wulflieds, who are raised to control every aspect of their emotions and minds, mastering the self, the Volpurgis's are typically passionate and strong-willed, though they are, as well, taught to comport themselves well. Caelyn's Personal History Caelyn Wulflied was born to Cicilia Volpurgis and Richard Wulflied on January 12th. He was raised in Germany in the Wulflied family manor until just before his 9th birthday, when they moved to their smaller estates in the British isles. He was kept isolated from the influence of both the muggle and wizarding world at large. He was permitted to play and interact only with other pureblooded children of the ancient houses, and was taught young to value competition and strive for success. He was raised after the manner of the Wulflied family, learning young to comport himself as the perfect 'prince' or aristocrat, by the strict, unyielding and unforgiving methods of his father's family. Through the parades of tutors, Caelyn was also accustomed to a constant string of aristocratic social events, which were, among his family's set, used as stages to test and mold the young children, teaching them how to 'dance' the social graces. These 'dances' were a series of strict social interchanges that, on the surface, were simply cordial (and often formal) interactions between the nobility. The point, however, was to learn to read the messages and meanings delivered under the words by tone of voice, body language and setting, as well as on the context of detailed understanding about family histories (making the thorough understanding of wizarding genealogy paramount) and personal backgrounds. The better informed and skilled one was, the more highly regarded they were. In order to keep the most power and control, the children were raised to be adept at controlling their body language, verbal language, and emotions, being taught to believe that a slip of any kind, in any of these areas, during a dance was looked upon with the utmost contempt and seen as a major flaw or weakness. Those who were seen as weak were squirreled away, hidden from those social circles so they could not be openly offensive to the family to which they belonged and would not represent an easy target through which to attack the family. This, naturally, tended to produce very manipulative, observant and cold people. A mistake in the 'dance' as a child would result in public humiliation which could take on many forms from something merely unpleasant, to some punishments which could b considered harsh nd traumatic - depending on the gravity of the misstep. Caelyn was fiercely taught to never make a mistake, being told that he must uphold the family name at all times. His father was quick to punish, and his punishments were rarely simple or painless. Caelyn, however, was also taught by his mother to value more than the cold, unfeeling control of the Wulflieds. At his mothers side, he became both the preeminent Machiavellian prince - and the passionate, stubborn, fierce person he is hidden underneath the mask of cool indifference. It is, at times, hard for him to reconcile the two sides of himself. When it came time to decide where to send him for school, just after he turned nine, they decided to move to one of their extended family estates in England so that he could go to Hogwarts, to allow him a broader range of contacts and pool for future marriage choices and influence. He was, of course, sorted in to Slytherin, and has since formed many ties and 'friends', though he lets his inner nature show to no one - except for the occasional odd flash of kindness. Is that another manipulation, who knows? One thing is certain - he seems to have a curious nature, enjoying puzzles and mysteries, and has a habit of collecting people's secrets - to what purpose? - but never seems to divulge many of his own. Slowly but surely, he appears to be gathering to himself a very odd assortment of misfits and students from across the houses - what could they have in common, to draw this serious, proper slytherin's interest? Recent History Wulf's first five years at Hogwarts were a mixture of aggressive study habits and limited social interaction; although he had done the usual thing of getting to know those who may be of use to him, he did little else with regards to others, preferring to keep to himself. He did, however, eventually make friends with a girl in his year; Serenity Mae Anderson. Through her, in his sixth year at hogwarts, he finally began to make friends - and to question the way he had been taught to live and believe. The turbulent recent history of hogwarts had had an effect on the young slytherin boy; he'd become more cautious and focused, at first, after the attacks began in his third year, but now he seems to have trouble sleeping. After the loss of his magic during the frog plague, he found himself wavering over the course of his life, and considering potential lies he'd been told, realizing he may soon lose all he ever knew. In his sixth year, Wulf met Clara; a young Ravenclaw girl who possessed Legilimency; the ability to infiltrate the mind. Unfortunately, he soon discovered that her uncontrolled ability could be dangerous; she began to have increasingly severe headaches and nose-bleeds. Eventually, though they cared greatly for eachother, she had to leave school to focus on training herself, leaving him behind - with one major difference. Now, it seems, Wulf has developed his own ability. In having such close contact with a legilimens' mind, and out of a need to defend against the constant accidental intrusions, Wulf discovered the beginnings of a previously unnoticed gift for the mental art of Occlumency. Due to the specific and uniquely challenging conditions of his upbringing, Wulf was able to develop the mental capacities and intent needed to shield one's mind from invasion. His mind, so carefully conditioned early in life by the harsh ruling of his father, had primed the structure of his mind for the development of this unique gift - one which his family had long since had a history possessing. This ability managed to cause him serious difficulties in his seventh and final year at the school, however; now in his seventh year, having gained the additional stresses of Head Boy during his N.E.W.T year, it is impossible for him to hide the truth. He seems to be strained; he never looks like he's gotten any sleep and frequently possesses headaches or full migraines. He's thinner that he was last year, his face just a tad more angular than before; he wears his full uniform and coat to disguise this fact, and to keep warm. Often, the usually incredibly perceptive boy will lose focus and seem a million miles away - usually this is only seen in private, if one catches him unaware. He could even be heard giving a rousing speech to the prefects in the library on the night of the sorting. All told, the stresses and pressures finally caused him to lapse into a mental break around Christmas of this past year. After several weeks of disconnected and confused behaviour, he was seen threatening and yelling at another slytherin year-mate, Wyatt, who was a previously dating his current girlfriend. After attempting to cast an unnamed curse at the other boy, he fled and was subsequently found wounded on the quidditch pitch. Following this he was hospitalized until the new year, visited by healers, family and professors. Upon his release he has since been seen back to normal and continues to command his position as Head Boy, performing his duties and attending classes as normally as ever before (though he seems a little more relaxed now). Known Associates * Sila Warrington: Hufflepuff second year who he met in her first year - the little brat is his adoptive sister. * Serenity Mae Anderson: Best friend and, perhaps, future wife. But don't let her hear you say that, she may just hex you. * Alice * Anabelle * Clara * Grayson * Septimus Grimsbane * Kevin Major Events * The Tri-Wizard tournament took place during Wulf's sixth year. He did not compete, but he did attend. During these tournament events, he had contact with several strange scenes which hinted at future dangers. Wulf, ever one to solve puzzles, began to look around for evidence. When the idol of the Gold Frog was awoken, sending waves of anti-magic gold frogs out to plague the school, everyone save for the person controlling the idol lost their ability to cast magic. Most thought the magic was simply gone forever, but Wulf, along with his friends and some acquaintances, realized that there was something more going on. They routed out the cause of the frogs, and Wulf's first year friend Sila Warrington tracked the frogs to their under water cave. All that was left was to follow the frogs and find out what was causing them. Later that day, Wulf, Sila and Andie Watson (another slytherin) swam under and found the hidden altar of the Golden Frog. The chamber into which they ran was carved with runes and contained a stone altar with a statue upon it, along with the idol. As they approached, Wulf realized that the altar was protected by a barrier, and stoped Sila from touching it; this caused the tomb's guardian Nimue, to come forwards. She spoke with them, and spoke of her story and that of the ancients who created the idol. From this, Wulf realized that the goal of the idol was not to oppress, but to teach; the ancients had made it to teach arrogant wizards that they relied too much on magic. Wulf said this, and Nimue seemed to agree. Wulf told Sila to go ahead and just go through the barrier, which worked. It had failed on the villain because he had never considered that he needn't use magic at all. Sila passed, and so did he, and all that was left was to find a way to destroy the idol. He knew that direct magic would not work, so he looked for another way. Feeling along the edge of the stone altar, he found the hilt of a sword. Without thinking about it, he pulled the sword from the stone altar and moved to strike the frog idol. Pausing, he wondered if intent mattered and, at the last second, he offered the sword to the first year hufflepuff, Sila. Sila broke the stone, and they were attacked by Professor Digby, who was at that time being controlled by an unknown person. This person spoke to Wulf and Sila, and then attacked them. In order to protect Sila, Wulf jumped in and engaged the older wizard in a duel. He was barely surviving, having taken several hits, when Digby managed to catch him. As he pointed his wand at Wulf and began the killing curse, Professor Fox entered the scene and took over. Thus avoiding death by a hair, Wulf grabbed the panicked Sila and ushered her and Andie out through the back exit of the cave. The exit eventually took them back into the dungeons, where Professor Cygnus, the Divinations professor, was waiting for them unexpectedly. Nimue returned to slumber as the idol was destroyed, and the sword now resides in the head master's office; right next to the sword of Gryffindor. * In his seventh year at Hogwarts Wulf was offered admission to the Auror training program for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as well as an internship in the Department of Mysteries; he has chosen the internship and starts in the summer following the end of term.